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Dordt College News

Dordt College nursing receives 10-year accreditation

The Dordt College nursing program recently was accredited at the highest level – for 10 years – by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). This is the maximum number of years that can be awarded to a program.

“This accreditation is a good indication of the quality of Dordt’s baccalaureate nursing program,” said Pam Hulstein, professor of nursing and director of Dordt’s nursing program. “As a department we strive to provide a nursing program in which students not only receive quality education, but learn what it means to take their place in God’s world as committed professional Christian nurses.”

According to the Commission, Dordt College meets all four accreditation standards and is in compliance with multiple key elements within each standard. “The nursing department faculty is committed to continue to uphold the high standards of nursing education set forth by the Commission,” said Hulstein. For nursing students at Dordt, this means their degree has great value. Employers often prefer to hire accredited practitioners because they are trained under nationally established standards for nursing education. Hospitals are increasingly looking for more highly educated nurses, such as those who have a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree offered by Dordt College.

Registered nursing is at the top of the Labor Department’s list for job growth. Dordt nursing students, who benefit from a collaborative program with St. Luke's College in Sioux City, regularly score above the national average on the NCLEX-RN exam. Students with Dordt’s accredited BSN degree have a 100 percent employment rate.

While at Dordt, nursing students gain a strong background in the sciences, current health care issues, cross-cultural care, and through clinical experiences, they gain valuable preparation for nursing practice, leadership, and management. To find out more about the nursing program at Dordt College, go to www.dordt.edu/nursing.

The nursing program earned its accreditation by The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, One Dupont Circle, NW, Suite 530, Washington, DC 20036, (202) 887-6701. Find more information at www.aacn.nche.edu/ccne-accreditation.